Sexual Assault

Sexual Assault
Sexual assault and rape are acts of violence that can happen to anyone. Attackers and rapists can be anyone - strangers, neighbors, boyfriends, husbands, co-workers, classmates, family members, and even friends. In fact, most victims know their assailants. Here's the good news: you can reduce the risk of sexual assault, by using common sense, and learning how to protect yourself.

This one-hour presentation provides information on rape, date rape, date rape with drugs and alcohol, and the various laws regarding sexual assault, and what to do if the unthinkable happens.

Only 15 percent of all rapes are reported to the police. Victims will usually not hesitate to report a "stranger" rape, but will rarely report an "acquaintance" rape, because society looks at the two very differently. Victims also have to go through the process of telling the gruesome story over and over again; to the police, emergency room personnel, the prosecuting attorney, and a jury. The victims re-live the incident each time they go through the details, making them hesitant to prosecute the offender, and they are left wondering why the system is so insensitive to their victimization. Centre County has found a way to minimize the systems impact, by introducing the S.A.R.T. team (Sexual Assault Response Team) to victims during the initial stages of a sexual assault investigation. This presentation will show you how the S.A.R.T. works, who are members of the team, and how their procedures greatly reduce the insensitivity of the system, thereby increasing the rate of prosecution of sexual assault offenders.

If you would like more information, please contact the State College Police Department's Community Relations/Crime Prevention Section at (814) 234-7150.